Conveyer cover clamping and dustsealing means



Jan. 18, 1949. E. P. Escl-1ER CONVEYER COVER CLAMPING AND DUST-SEALING MEANS Filed Sept. 6, 1945 4 MIHWIHM f; Trae/wer. y

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 ooNvEYER COVER cLAMPING-AND SEALING MEANS D'Usfr- EdwardPQ Escher, Chicagmllll., assigner to` Screw, Conveyor Corporation, Hammond,'lnd., a' corporation of Illinois Application september s, 1945, serial Nocerina 2 claims. (c1. 19a-Lm) Y c* This invention relates to conveyor apparatus, I

with particular reference to conveyor troughs in the class of screw conveyors, and aims to provide a, more practical and convenient form of securing means as well as efficient dust-sealing connection between the conveyor trough and'its cover. l

Accordingly one object of the invention is to provide an easily and quickly applied clamping device for holding the cover in proper position,

and which is of such a construction as to Abe readily removed from its clamping position without'requiring the operation of adjusting means or other accessory devices for its manipulation.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to provide a clamping device of this character which is especially adapted 'to be applied in coverclamping position at the joints "between the vconveyor trough sections, andto in clude'means for not only` accommodating the external flanges at such points but also cooperating therewith for retaining the Vcover-clamping devices in their proper transverse position, crosswise of the conveyor. f It is also an object of my invention to provide clamping means of this character combined with dust-sealing means adapted to ybe conventionally applied in edge-sealing relation to the cover and trough, and to be effectively retained in place by the action of said cover-clamping means when the latter is applied in operative position.

For carrying out of the aforesaid objects I have devised structural elements of maximum simplicity and hence involving corresponding economies as regards cost of material and manufacture, in addition to facilitating the operations required for mounting and assembling said clamping and sealing elements in their position of use.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating an appropriate embodiment of the improved clamping and dust-sealing construction, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of a conveyor trough and top cover strucfture and including cover-clamping and dustsealing means embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, and represents a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

2 l Figures-3 and 4 are fragmentary detail elevations, illustrating the end `portions of the clamping means, in clamping position at .opposite sidesof thel conveyor.A Y

Referring nowfto the accompanying drawing in detaiLfthe improvements are illustrated ,as applied in relation to a 4,conventional conveyor trough structure, comprising trough sections lil which, in the illustratedl type. of construction, are connected in continuous endto end relation by means cf angletypes the outwardly projecting anges lil of which are secured together means of bolts i5 and nuts i6 (as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4).

-When f vthe conveyor mechanism materials, the practiceis Jo-mount longitudinal cover plates I8 over the v.itopl of theA conveyorclamping devices at eacnside oi the trough,

whereby the edges'eof the cover are secured tov the side flanges `Zllprovided bythe. reinforcing angles 2l .along the top edges of the conveyor troughsections l0.,

As my improved means for securing thecover plates I8 in. position, I employ a one-piece clamping member comprising a transverse band or strip 2A of spring steel rubber, plastic or the like which is normally slightly curved or bow-shaped and of a length equal to the width `0f the cover plate, and terminating at its opposite ends in hooks or rolled portions 25 for clamping the side margins of the cover plate firmly against the top faces of the side anges 2li of the trough. Moreover, said rolled terminal portions of the 4clamping strips orv bands 24 are recessed and forked, as indicated at 26, for straddling theV flanges Ill at the joints between the trough sections l of the conveyor. The forked structure on one of said rolled terminals is formed with finger extensions 28, for facilitating the application lor the release and removal of the clamping devices, when necessary.

As a means for maintaining a more effective dust seal between the cover member and the trough, an edging strip of suitable material such as rubber, plastic or the like, and of U-shaped design as indicated at 30, is illustrated as applied in position for embracing the outer margins of both the cover plates and the flanges 20 ofthe trough, and is retained in such sealing relation by means of the roll portions at the opposite endsk of the clamping members 2.4.

of saddle members 12 (not .shownl' isoperated for conveying dry, granular and dustyl the flanges to hook one end of the clamping strip I8 around the edging strip 30 and in forked relation to thef` anges I4 at one side of the trough, and' then' bring the strip or band I8 down flatwise upon the ltop of the cover While hooking: its:` opposite? end into similar engagement with the edging strip 30 and flanges I4, at the opposite side of' the trough, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4'. The' clamping strip-isl thus'rheld securely in place and thereby'retains: theA cover and edging materialv in the posi-tion shown; and-i, due to its being applied with aspring clampingaction, insuresa tight anddust-sealin'g relationV along both side off the conveyor trough. When necessaryto* remove the cover; the- ,cover-clamping strips are as easilyrelea-sed and removed by sirnpiygrasping the extenson'ngersls' and lifting the ends of; the device outl of engagement vvitiithe` covermargins,` iii. anobvious manner.

It willtherefore; be apparent that a simple and convenient and vet veryV elcient and practical Construction has beenk devised for the purposes of my irmention7 both as to securely clamping the conveyor cover in place and also 'for' providing an effettive dust seal in connection therewith; and fin'tlrermm'e, that the featurel of the forked' re vlation between `the clamping device andthe side flanges of the'A trough hasthe added' advantage of retaining the clamping band or strip in correct transverse position, across'the cover.` While I have iilustrated a preferredforrn of my improved construction, I desire to-be understood as reserving the right to such changes or modieations as may fall withinthe scope of the appended CIamSg' idf-' sides thereof `and embracing batir: thecawerands; of the trough, it is only necessary` i What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: o

1 Clamping means c for securing conveyor trough .cover plates upon lthe upper margins of the conveyor trough sections having vertical connecting anges, comprising al normally curved `A y spring :nietal clamping strip liavihghook terminals for releasable engagement 4with said upper margins of the conveyor trough, with the main body portion of the strip in nattenedr clamping engagement with the upper face et the: cover plate, said hook terminals being recessed for.r forking over the opposite sides of said vertical connecting anges and thereby mainn removable cover plates of tai'ni'ngsaid stripv` in transverse position crosswlse of the trough.

2i ClampingY arndfdust-sealing means for the l g conveyor troughs having outwardly projecting iianges at their top edges, comprising Llfshaped edging bands, or strips removablyitted over the 'outer 4Inarg'insof said trough flanges and" cover plates; and4 a norf mally' curved? and' bow-shaped' spring metal clamping strip hayingv hook terminals for lei'easable" engagement Withjsai'dv edging bands'or strips at'thie opposite sides ofI the trough,hwith the intermediate or main body portion ofsald clamping strip in iattenedv clamping engagemen-t: withl the'` upper face- :of the cover-j'plates therebyfhol'ding said1 platesgin cover position'tvith said; edging strips in sealingV relation to the:V outer edges 'oise-id cover plates*V and trough flanges.v` EDWARD P. ESCHER.v`

RErEnENCEsgoIrEn d The, following, referencesare. of record, in4 the iile of `this patent: Y Y

1 UNI-'ran sTA'rEsrArENTsE Numberl Name v Date 179,163' Dalzell; K I T June 27, Y137,6 372,212 metzeter out. 257;133'1 731,793 Landsberger June 23,1'90'3 '748,642 Nicholson Jan.l5 1904; 1=,-so4,855 slkittnnl. oct. 26,; 1926 .1,747,471 Eckardt et al. T Feb: 1851330 2,006,657 

